Lassen's Natural Foods and Vitamins — Restaurant in Bakersfield

You know, I used to enjoy shopping at Lassen's. It's locally owned, California native brand that has fresh, healthy food at a good price when compared to Sprouts. But the customer service in this location is extremely poor. The deli counter will bad mouth be talking poorly about shoppers (using vulgarities), indiscreetly, and loud enough for people to hear at checkout. I have to wait close to five minutes at the deli counter before anyone even greets me.

Over the past four years, their vegan selection has gone down (no more vegan cakes, for example; no more vegan drumsticks) while what they do offer has gone up in price. I used to walk up to the deli counter and be offered samples, as were other customers, and the worker would engage with us all while working on anything else they had going.

I go to the store and ask a question to one or two employees (is the Earth day sale starting today? Or What's the bathroom code) only to hear them complain about me when I'm one isle over. Usually saying something like "He really just makes us work".

Their vegan deli selection is mouldy, see the picture below. I complained to management one time about it, she refunded me, but I complained after the fourth sandwich in a row was mouldy. And its to the point where I don't even feel comfortable walking over to the deli-- I'll grab lunch elsewhere. I don't want to hear the employees talking poorly about me while I'm waiting to be checked out only to find my food isn't edible after I've already left the parking lot. It just isn't a good shopping experience.

I'm so uncomfortable walking through the isles because the employees bad mouth shoppers so many times that I'll just make a bee-line for the one or two items I go to the store for and sprint to checkout.

I can't forget to mention how they're out of stock on certain items for months at a time-- yes months. And these items I cannot find in any other store (a calming Kava drink, Rain sparkling water- to name a few)

The cashier's are friendly. Regardless of time of day I shop, you'll see any of the cashier's making small talk with other frequent shoppers. And the wait isnt normally long-- whenever it does get backed up, another cashier will open.

I will note that the manager that helped me with the mouldy sandwich is the best employee in the whole store. She may not like me but she sets it aside and treats me just as friendly as other shoppers. She tries to offer a solution: like if they're out of something, she offers to order a case for me-- or the sandwich, for example, offers a refund. She's always the one ready to jump on a register if there's a line-- and she does so before the main cashier even has to call. She 100% deserves a promotion if not a pay raise.

It's a shame to see one of the only health food stores to be going...

Don't use their website to order groceries it will get canceled. Their excuse was the item wasn't in stock but their web page for Bakersfield store said in stock and this was middle of the night and then canceled upon the store opening, It's a waste of your time shopping online and picking a time to pick up you order to be told the item is isn stock but truthfully that item may not be in as their website isn't updated (per employee at the store). This item is very popular and I should of known it was to good to be true that they had it in stock and that the price wasn't triple like it is everywhere else in the world. So moral of this, don't shop there if they can't keep their web page for shopping current. I understand items come and go but when you place an order when the store is closed and then they open and immediatly cancel your order, I highly doubt somone came in and got that item right as they opened the door opened, and if they were out of stock, the website still says instock stock. Why bother shopping for order pickup if you have no.ideq until.a worker physically goes to see if its in stock, thats a waste of time, on bith my end and the workers end. Guess ill just order the item from amazon and not support locally, this is why Amazon is top they know what is in stock and keep things up to date on their...

Warning: Do not shop at Lassen's, they now have a new store policy "BUY AS IS" like buying at a yard sale no more refunds, even if you get sick from one of their products. Yesterday August 13, 2020 I bought a chocolate product for my Daughter, that I had purchased at Lassen's Bakersfield , and an hour after ingestion I had to rush her to the ER due to adverse allergic reaction (Hives)due to one of the ingredients in their product. I was hit with $2000.00 from the ER yet Lassens would not want to refund $30.00 When I explained the situation the lead person as to requesting a refund, he said " To bad, I was handed down from Management that there are no refunds or exceptions" keep in mind that I had the reciept with me from the prior day purchase, so I talked to someone in HR in Ventura county and explained the situation, they said someone would get a hold of me first thing this morning today, and never did, Just remember this Bogus store is using the Covid 19 as an excuse to minimize the profit loss, at the expense of their vulnerable clients, when in other stores like Wal-Mart and Target, they continue to refund. And by the way Herbs at Wal-Mart are 70% cheaper than lassen's. I bought Echinacea at Wal-Mart for $3.99 for same quantity at Lassen's they have it at $14.99 DO NOT BUY FROM LASSENS WHAT A...